About

Mike Donahue's career has been a play in three acts. In Act I, the story played out before a national audience. As a newly minted University of Chicago MBA, he worked for McDonalds and Citicorp, companies ranked in the top twenty in Business Week's annual ranking of the world's most powerful brands. At McDonalds, he was the marketing manager who led the rollout of breakfast. Eventually he became the Director of New Products Marketing, and later, the company's first Director of Sports Marketing. At Citicorp, he was responsible for brand building in the Midwest.

Act II moved Donahue to larger roles on a smaller stage. He was the first president of the National Institute for Fitness and Sport. Under his leadership, the Institute was profitable in its second year, and brokered relationships with Nike, the U.S. Tennis Association and DuPont. During this time, he also served on the board of the United States Olympic Committee and was Board Chair of USA Gymnastics.

In Act III, Mike founded Newgrange Consulting and moved to the director's chair, coaching leaders of small and mid-sized businesses. Most work is done under contract to Vistage International, the world's leading chief executive organization. His business card says Vistage group chair and executive coach; the men and women he coaches would say strategic sparring partner and trusted advisor. Mike calls his Vistage groups learning labs for executives and his coaching sessions crucibles for personal and professional growth, a place where authentic conversations take place.

Mike is one of six Vistage group chairs working with CEOs and business leaders in Indianapolis. If you'd like to learn more about Mike's coaching practice and his Vistage groups, take the next step and schedule a time to meet with Mike by clicking on the coffee cup at the bottom right of the page.

Mike's Favorites

You can learn a lot about a person if you know what they're reading, watching and listening to. Here are some of Mike's favorites.

[+] Business books

Five business books have had a significant impact on how Mike thinks about leadership and how he coaches.

  1. Heroic Leadership by Chris Lowney: This book is not for everyone. It was written by an investment banker who had studied to become a Jesuit priest. Mike's favorite quote from the book applies to his role as an executive coach: "(A coach) encourages people to aim high and keeps them restlessly pointed toward something more, something greater. No 'commonplace achievement' should satisfy our ambition to excel."
  2. The Five Temptations of a CEO by Patrick Lencioni: Mike makes this book required reading for each new coaching client. He finds that most leaders struggle with more than one of Lencioni's five temptations.
  3. Leadership: Thinking, Being, Doing by Lee Thayer: Mike's read both the first and second editions of Thayer's book and claims it's the best book on leadership that he's read.
  4. Managing Thought by Mary Lore: Mary is a Vistage Chair who lives in Michigan. Mike decided Mary's book was so powerful that he booked her to speak to one of his groups in 2010.
  5. Inspirational Leadership - Henry V and the Muse of Fire by Richard Olivier: Mike met the author in 2003. He shares the lessons leaders can learn from King Henry with his coaching clients. Olivier calls the coach's role that of a "brother-mentor." Mike is especially fond of the quote from Henry IV on the importance of a coach, when young Prince Hal says to his Lord Chief Justice "My voice shall sound as you do prompt my ear…to your well-practiced wise directions." What executive coach wouldn't love to be told that?

[+] Other good reading

Here are some of the favorites on Mike's book shelf that aren't in the business section.

  1. Crossing the Unknown Sea by David Whyte: This book has influenced Mike's work style and how he views his work.
  2. Free to Choose by Milton Friedman: Friedman's thinking has shaped Mike's world view more than any other public figure. He is one of four Nobel Prize winners Mike has heard speak. Mike has taken a class from one other Nobelist, and met two more.
  3. Kindling by Nevil Shute: Mike has read four books by Nevil Shute; this one was written in 1938. It's set in England during the Great Depression and celebrates the entrepreneurial class and their ability to build businesses and create jobs. Mike believes it should be mandatory reading for elected officials, teachers and the clergy.

[+] Websites

  1. www.becker-posner-blog.com - Anyone who reads this blog is clearly a geek. Mike has been a fan of Gary Becker since he heard him lecture at the University of Chicago in the mid-1970s. Becker's and Posner's points of view are decidedly libertarian; their blog is a great example of the University of Chicago's mantra, "ideas matter."
  2. www.unclejayexplains.com - Uncle Jay has been explaining the news since 1995. He does a superb job of using humor to skewer hypocrites on the right and left. Mike thinks Uncle Jay's web site is better than The Onion.
  3. http://reason.tv/ - This is the on line home of the Drew Carey Project. Drew is a comic who uses humor to discuss important economic and political issues. Mike thinks Reason TV is almost as entertaining as Uncle Jay.

[+] Favorite movies

  1. Casablanca. Mike never gets tired of hearing Bogey say, "I remember every detail; the Germans wore gray, you wore blue."
  2. The Big Lebowski. I Great stuff from the Coen Brothers.
  3. Henry V (the Kenneth Branagh version). Anyone who lists Richard Olivier's book among his favorites has to love this movie.
  4. Streets of Fire. This movie, which stars the lovely Diane Lane, was a dud when was released in 1984. It was written with tongue planted firmly in cheek and has a terrific sound track. Mike has never met anyone who listed this movie among their favorites.
  5. Up. Mike is a sucker for cute dogs.
  6. The Hangover. Mike's daughters claim it's the funniest movie – ever. They may be right.

[+] Music

The Five most played songs on Mike's iPod are:

  1. Exhilarating Sadness by the Saw Doctors, an Irish rock band from Tuam in County Galway. They're Mike's favorite rock and roll band.
  2. Rock and Roll by the Velvet Underground. Mike was hooked when he heard this song three times in a week on his favorite satellite radio station, The Loft.
  3. Jesus, Etc by Wilco. This is not a religious song! Mike was introduced to Wilco by a coaching client; he used a line from this song in the toast he gave at his daughter's wedding.
  4. Wonder Wonder by the BoDeans. Another great band Mike discovered listening to The Loft.
  5. Listening to NRBQ by Jim Boggia. Have you ever heard of Jim Boggia or NRBQ? If you have, you are a rare individual.

Curious about Mike's favorites? Want to discuss them with Mike? Take the next step and schedule a time to meet with Mike by clicking on the coffee cup at the bottom right of the page.

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